Canvass confirms Johnson’s re-election

The Monday morning canvass of provisional ballots for the April 7 election confirmed Randy Johnson’s re-election to De Soto’s USD Board of Education Position 4 seat.

The canvass added seven votes to the April 7 unofficial results.

Unofficial results election night showed the Johnson leading Roger Templin by four votes, 894 to 890. Margaret Johnson, no relation to the incumbent, received 533 votes. Unofficial results did not include provisional ballots.

The status of the provisional ballots was determined Monday with a canvass by members of the Johnson County Commission.

Johnson was the biggest benefactor of the canvass with three added votes, while Templin and Margaret Johnson each picked up two additional votes.

The final results were Randy Johnson, 897; Templin, 892; Margaret Johnson, 535; and one write-in vote.

Johnson County Election Commissioner Brian Newby said provisional ballots were those cast that have a problem, such as, a voter going to the wrong polling place. Some provisional ballots are not counted for various reasons including no signature on mailed-in ballots.

Newby said the office did not know the exact number of provisional ballots for the Position 4 race. Provisional ballots are only opened if the commission allows.

Any candidate can ask for a recount, Newby said.

The candidate asking for a recount must put up the funds for the recount. If the outcome is different than the previous results, in terms of winning candidate the candidate asking for the recount would get their money back.

In a fall election, if the results are within a half percentage point the candidate can ask for a recount at the state’s expense, Newby said.

Johnson received 38.58 percent of the vote, while Templin received 38.37 percent.

Sarah Horn, election systems manager for the Johnson County Election Office said Tuesday voting by precinct break outs for the three De Soto USD 232 board elections were not yet available.

“That’s one of the most complicated ones we do,” she said.

However, Horn did have turnout figures for De Soto and Lexington Township. Turnout in the city of De Soto was 21.3 percent, which is bad but much better than the 8.23 percent turnout in Lexington Township.